Means for propulsion of vehicles by electricity.



Patented Dec. 5, I899.

F. J. NEWMAN &. J. LEDWINKA.

MEANS FOR PROPULSION 0F VEHICLES BY ELECTRICITY.

(Application filed Kay 19, 1899.)

I 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

n: W Inn: In. new mm.& c.

Patented Dec. 5, I899.

F. J. NEWMAN & J. LEDWINKA.

MEANS'FUR PROPULSION 0F VEHICLES BY ELECTRlCiTY.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Application filed May 19, 1899.) {N o M odol.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI FRED J. NEWMAN AND JOSEF LEDWINKA, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR PROPULSION 0F VEHICLES BY ELECTRICITY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,643, dated December5, 1899.

Application filed May 19, 1899. Serial No. 717,477. \No model.)

To ctZZ whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that we, FRED J. NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, andJOSEF LED- XVINK A, a subject of the Emperor of Austria- Hu-ngary, bothresiding at the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forPropelling Vehicles by Electricity, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to the propulsion of vehicles by the use ofelectricity as a motive power,and has forits object to furnish a meansfor the application of said power to any vehicle and at the sametime notchange or disfigure the general appearance of the vehicles now in use byexhibiting the mechanical parts involved in the construction thereof;and in order to accomplish our purpose we have selected the hub of thewheel in which to install the electric motor for driving the vehicle,said motor to receive electric power from batteries stored withelectricity, which batteries are placed in any convenient place in thebody of said vehicle.

Our invention principally consists in the housing of the electric motorand driving mechanism in the hubs of the driving-wheels which supportthe vehicle.

Like letters represent like parts in the accom pan yin g drawings,whichform a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal viewthrough the hub of a wheel with our device installed therein andjournaled on a stationary axle, showing an electric motor independentlyjournaled with ball-bearings on said axle and equipped with all thenecessary parts which constitute a complete electric motor. This Viewalso shows the motorarmature supplied with gear-wheel connectionswhereby said motor-armature revolving on said axle is connected with thedriving-wheel of the carriage by an internal gear, which gear isattached to the hub of said driving-wheel. This view also shows the hubjournaled on said stationary axle by ball-bearings, thus enabling saidhub to revolve around the motor-armature, said hub carrying with it thefields of said motor, to the inner walls of which said fields arerigidly fastened. This view also shows the spoke of a wheel in positionin the hub, said spoke broken off. Fig. 2 is to show four electriccontact-plates supplied with a spring inserted in the end of the axle toinsure perfect contact. The object of these plates, which are insulatedfrom each other, is to independently conduct the current to theirrespective motors in the hubs of the wheels. Two or more of thesecontacts may be used. Fig. 3 is a view through line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig.4 is a View through line a 4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a bracket to befastened to the stationary axle, in which bracket is journaled thegear-wheel which makes driving connection between the motor-armature andthe internal gear, which gear is rigidly fastened to the interior of thehub of the carriage-wheel proper.

A is a carriageaxle.

B is the armature of the electric motor.

0 represents the fields of said motor, securely fastened to the interiorof the hub of the wheel.

D is a commutator.

E is an electric brush.

F is a ball-bearing, with proper cups and cones.

G is a geared pinion fastened to the armature.

H is a gear-wheel which is journaled by proper hearings on the bracket,Which we designate as Fig. 4 in the drawings, which bracket is securelyfastened to the stationary axle. I is this bracket, Fig. 4. v

J represents the ball-bearings of gear-wheel H, supplied with cups andcones secured to the upper end of bracket I. y

K is an internal gear rigidly fastened to the interior of the hub of thevehicle'whecl.

L is the hub. Hub L is composed of four members-namely, the rear memberM, which serves to inclose the rear of the hub and contain thedust-guards; also, rear member N, center member 0, and front member orcap P.

Q is the ball-bearing for hub L, properly cupped and coned on axle A.

R is a broken spoke of the carriage-wheel in position in hub L.

S represents electric conductors which make electric connection betweenthe electric supply and the motors. These conductors are carried in areceptacle made lengthwise in the axle and brought out at the rear ofthe hub and thence to the electric supply.

When the parts are assembled, the operation of our device is as follows:The electric armature being journaled independently on axle A andconnected,as shown and described, by gear-wheel connection with hub L,and said hub L being also journaled on said axle A, therefore when theelectric current is turned onto the motor armature said armature wouldrevolve in one direction and gear-wheel H would revolve in the oppositedirection, thus causing the vehicle-wheel, the interior of the hub ofwhich carries the fields ot' the motor, to revolve in the oppositedirection to the armature thereof, and thus carry the vehicle along atwhatever speed is desired and in ac cord with the diameter of the wheelsof .the vehicle.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and original,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vehicle propelled by electricity, a combination of the hubs ofthe wheels of said vehicle inclosing each an electric motor, said motorsjournaled on the axles of said'vehicle, the shells of said hubs, whichshells contain each a motor-field magnet, journaled on an axle, thearmatu res of. said motors connected each by gear-wheels with itshub-shell, the intermediate gear-wheels between said armatures and saidhubs, each journaled on a bracket, said brackets rigidly fastened to theaxles of said vehicle, whereby when said armatnres are revolved, therevolving motion thereof would be transmitted to the wheels of saidvehicle.

2. In a vehicle propelled by electricity, a con'ibination of an electricmotor, said motor inclosed in a hollow hub of a wheel of said vehicle,the armature of said motorjourna-led on an axle of said vehicle, saidhub also journaled on said axle, the armature of said motor suppliedwith geared driving connection with an internal gear, said internal geartirmly attached to the interior of said hub, the intermediate gear-wheelof said geared driving connection supported on a bracket,

, said bracket tirmly attached to said axle, the

fields of said motor securely fastened to the interior of said hub,whereby when said armature is revolved, the revolving motion thereofwould be transmitted to said hub.

FRED .T. NEWMAN. JOSEF 'LEDWINKA.

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